would you "let" your 18 year old go on Ozempic?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At 5’4” BMI charts say she needs to be 142 to be JUST below “overweight”. So if she’s “high 140s” then she’s medically overweight.

And one does not need drugs to lose 10 lbs (at least an 18 year old does not).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At that age, I would discourage her going on unless she is unsuccessful with traditional weight loss drugs.
Wegovy and Zepbound are really meant to be life long medications for folks who have tried to lose with diet and exercise and failed.
I am currently on Zepbound and combining that with diet and exercise have lost 50 pounds. It has been amazing for me but when I was that age, I was able to control my weight with diet and exercise alone. The biggest difference is the reduction in "food noise".
My person opinion is that these drugs are the most helpful for people who have 30+ pounds to lose. When you are facing that degree of weight loss, it can seem impossible. Once it starts coming off, it is easier to start exercising and making healthy diet choices.

Sorry that should say "unsuccessful with traditional weight loss methods".

[Anonymous]

Maybe if she was actually overweight, but no, not at her weight.

[Anonymous]

Generally, I would bless my 18yo going on it if she were obese. But I would not in this case. At this point, it appears that Wegovy will only work as long as a person is taking it. So it is one thing for a 50 year old to take it, possibly forever. But it's another thing for an 18 year old to do the same.

Look at some other solutions for now. One is called Alli-- you just buy it at CVS (it's the non prescription strength of something that used to be prescription). It has real side effects in that it works by having your body not digest fat (which gives digestive side effects if you eat too much fat!)

It's less effective overall (as are all of the pre-ozempic drugs) but has the benefits that a) it encourages a change in habits (you're punished for eating fat) and b) you can literally decide day by day (meal by meal) whether to take it, so it is short-lived. I took it for a while and it worked for me-- and only had side effects occassionally. Again, I'd view it as a stick to reinforce better (lower fat) eating habits.

[Anonymous]

She may eat healthy but too much or sneaks or binges or has exercise bulimia. Try OA or EDA for free. She will need to be on the drug permanently or at least 5-7 years.

[Anonymous]

Honestly, i think she could benefit from talking to a therapist.

[Anonymous]

She does cardio.
She needs weight training to fill her skin with muscles.
She won't look roidy because the fat will smooth out the muscle lines.

She'll be a smokestack if he curves are real curves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Being a size 4 vs 10 is worth a lot of money, perhaps millions of dollars, to a young woman in terms of career and marriage prospects. I would do it.

And it also should be fairly easy to do for an otherwise healthy 18 yr old with some nutrition education and self discipline

[Anonymous]

I'd help her get a personal trainer and try that for 6 months first. Is she about to start college? If so, that would be even more helpful to try to avoid gaining weight as a freshman. I have a similar build and was always able to up the exercise and stay slim until I hit 45. Now absolutely nothing has worked, and my numbers were all bordering on unhealthy. I have gone on a very low dose of ozempic and got my weight back down some (down to 152). I intend to stay on it until I get to 135. I had never been that overweight, and it was even impacting my ability to work out (was starting to get arthritis and issues in my knees and ankles). I'd save the ozempic until she has exhausted everything else.

[Anonymous]

For an obese teen absolutely but one who isn’t even overweight or just borderline overweight then no way.

It really does affect your appetite and you want a teen to still eat well not just stop eating most food and go out and have pizza or ice cream or chips with friends. Then feel full and not eat dinner.

It is also too early to know the long term effects if any. So at 55 I don’t care as much about any long term affects. My last kid is graduating high school in a year. I will have him through college by the time any long term effects are discovered. I would be cautious if I hadn’t had kids yet and was so young when it isn’t urgent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She's a size 8/10. I would heavily discourage this. I'd encourage her to focus on strength and being fit, NOT THIN. Thin does not equal healthy.

It sounds like she should discuss this with a therapist who can help with body dysmorphia.

maybe she wants to be attractive, not just “healthy”.

You would encourage her to take a long term medication for vanity reasons? And we wonder why our young people have mental health issues.

[Anonymous]

How is she getting this from a provider if she is not obese or diabetic?
If she is either, she should not go on this. Period.
If she is obese, try every other method first. If she is diabetic, there are many other meds to try first.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I say "let" in quotes as she is technically an adult but she is asking me for my opinion. We have a strong/great relationship.
She's about 5'4" and a size 8/10. So not heavy but not thin. BMI is right on the edge of overweight because of her height (25?)
She eats incredibly well and exercises 5 days a week (goes to they gym and walks/runs on the treadmill for several miles).

She really, really wants to go on Ozempic. She has the money and can get it from a licensed provider.
What says DCUM? This is a kid who has been plagued by her weight (it has frustrated her to no end) since she filled out at age 14 and all her friends stayed thin. Frankly, it seems to be her "set point". We (me, my mom, aunts) are just sturdier people. We are not built long and lean. We have to eat really well or we gain weight quickly.

I have never said anything about ANYTHING size/weight to her (I'm actually very proud of myself in this regard) so please keep this to my question and not some detour off onto how I am a terrible parent.

Thank you!

No. Eat less.

She can have hair loss.

[Anonymous]

Has she worked with a dietician and personal trainer? That would be a far healthier way to spend the money.

[Anonymous]

OP, the most important point is that she’s building her bones until 25. Even for diabetes-control, I wouldn’t put a girl in this class of drugs until after 25.


In addition, lots of people meet their spouses in college. She should want someone who is attracted to her body now. If she snags a guy who likes lean body type because she’s on weight-loss drugs, she’ll either be tied to the drugs for life, or he might feel that she pulled a bait and switch after she goes off them and resumes her natural metabolism.

For example, I have a less-desirable hair type. I’ve had a guy who was attracted to me straight out reject me once he saw my natural hair. It was informative. Unless I wanted to straighten my hair every day for the rest of my life, I was better off moving through the dating works with natural hair. It let me focus on guys who thought I was pretty, as-is. In the long-term, she’s better off moving though the dating world using nutrition and exercise to have a healthy body at her natural set point.